All or Nothing
by Shadow-Hunter84
Summary: Nico thinks himself hopelessly in love with his best friend, Percy, but meeting Jason Grace promises to change that - or at least tries to. / AU - mainly Jason/Nico
1. Chapter 1

**First of all, I'd like to thank the people who reviewed "It's Okay". I didn't have any plans to write again this soon, but reading what you guys said motivated me.**

**I had this idea sitting in my mind since I listened to All or Nothing (thus the title), and I finally put it into words.**

**Anyway, it is an AU (all human) between Nico and Jason, has both POV's and will be multi-chaptered. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Nico's POV**

It is one of those rare afternoons when everything feels so perfect you wish it wouldn't end. Percy and I have been playing video games in his living room for a few hours, empty soda cans and a bowl of now cold popcorn between us. A weekend wasted behind draped curtains when it was a particularly beautiful spring day outside had never felt better. I have even managed to momentarily forget about an important exam I will have to face in the following day.

Everything about this moment has me feeling as if the previous six years haven't passed and I am still ten, Percy thirteen, and we are still the best of friends. It pains me that ever since Percy started dating two years ago we don't see much of each other. Even now that his girlfriend, Annabeth, who's nineteen years-old, is in college, one of the best architecture students that her university has ever seen according to Percy – he was probably exaggerating –, he and I remain pretty distant. Between studying to get a scholarship and working part-time, Percy only has a few weekends to spare, and even I understand why he would spend most of them with her rather than with me, so I'm happy that we finally have a day to ourselves. Not that it means the same to him as it does me.

We both sit there, smashing buttons with greasy fingers in a perfectly comfortable silence, eyes glued to the TV. Percy's mother and stepfather are out shopping and have left a good deal of snacks for us in the kitchen. It surprises me that, despite the fact that Percy was a legal adult, his mom still treats him as if he were twelve, but I suppose it must be nice to have something like that. It is an afternoon that has everything to become a flawless evening. Maybe I would even stay over. That is, if _she _didn't call.

Besides the television and Percy's knee, which is slightly pressed against mine – not that I did that on purpose –, I'm not really paying attention to anything, so I only notice that there is a cellphone ringing when the pause screen pops up in front of me. And yeah, there is no mistaking that tune.

"Hey" Percy says into the speaker, his voice instantly soft and dripping with adoration. It makes my stomach clench. "I'm okay. You?... But I thought you–... Oh, I see..." he looks at me then, a silent apology in his eyes. I pretend not to notice it. "Yeah, I can, sure... Okay, then I'll see you there... Bye".

I take a mushy popcorn from the bowl before looking at him. "So?" I inquire.

"I'm sorry, Nico" he replies. "But you know I haven't seen Annabeth in a while, and she wants to have dinner with me" I know for a fact that they had lunch together on that same Friday, but decide not to comment on it.

"Sure" I do my best to sound indifferent. "It's alright" before standing up, I add as an afterthought "Dinner?" It can't be long past 4p.m. yet.

"Yeah, I only have to leave in like, two hours or so."

I consider staying for a while longer, but it wouldn't be as nice knowing that he was soon going to leave to meet up with _her_. It is childish of me to think like that, and I know it perfectly well, but I just can't help it. I get up and grab my jacket. Looking at Percy again, I note that he looks a little disappointed.

"I have a test tomorrow. I really need to study" I quickly explain, not really needing him to think that I don'twant to stay, but now guiltily satisfied that he at least doesn't want me to go right now. _Grow up, Nico_, I tell myself.

"Oh. Sure you don't need any help?"

"No, it's fine, thanks" I make for the door and Percy follows.

"Hey, I'm sorry again" he says as I walk out.

"It's no big deal, really" that seems to convince him.

"If I get any days off this week I'll give you a call, okay?" he gives me an expectant grin.

"Sure" I faintly smile back and Percy closes the door as I turn away.

I walk in silence to the nearest bus stop, distracted only by my own thoughts. I'm fighting a lost battle. Percy – besides being straight, of course – has a girlfriend, one he obviously loves. And _I_ am pretty much in love with _him. _Even though I know it won't lead anywhere, I just can't let go. Sometimes I wish he'd notice it already, or that I had the guts to tell him. I mean, he's known I'm not attracted to girls for over two years, but I have never really admitted my feelings for him. I guess I'm just too afraid to do so. Afraid not of rejection, but of spoiling our friendship. I felt as if I tell Percy, being around him won't be the same thing anymore. For either of us. And I just can't bear that thought.

My thoughts are interrupted when the bus arrives. Percy and I have been neighbors for as long as either of us can remember, but I didn't lie when I said I need to study, and there are far too many distractions in my house, so I am headed to the library. As expected, the bus is crowded and stuffy, which makes me too busy trying not to bump into anyone when it takes sharp turns to focus too much on my petty self-pity. The air around me smells of sweat and cigarettes, and I'm beyond thankful when, fifteen minutes later, we reach my stop and I get to breathe freely before entering the library.

Getting to the shelf of books on physics, I suddenly wish I had accepted Percy's help. I ultimately suck at the subject, never being able to understand any of it no matter how hard I try.

Picking out a few books I thought might help, I check the time on my phone. Half past four. I have two hours before needing to take the bus back home. Two hours to learn the past three weeks' content. Great.

Heaving a sigh, I grab a pencil and a few sheets of paper from the materials that the library offers and drop the books on an empty table nearby, fighting to resist the urge to call Percy and spoil his date.

* * *

**Jason's POV**

Piper is still resentful of me, that much is pretty obvious. Well, at least if her behavior this afternoon is anything to go by. She called me earlier this week asking if I could meet her and Leo at a park today, to 'remember the old days', and of course I agreed, but so far it has been her and Leo, and me just tagging along. We also haven't talked much on a regular basis. Leo could at least give me a hand. I didn't want my longtime friendship with her to go down the drain just like that.

The day is unusually hot for this time of the year, and we've stopped for water when Leo announces that he has to go. He's currently working as a waiter for some fancy restaurant I still haven't bothered to learn the name. His inability to focus makes it hard for him to last too long in a job, sadly, no matter how much he depends on it. Leo had lived in a foster home since his mother died in a fire when he was eight, but left at the first opportunity after he turned eighteen. In the beginning things had been pretty tough, what with having to provide everything for himself _and _keep up with his studies, but they seem to be settling down lately. I would've offered help by now if I didn't know better than to think that Leo would accept it.

His shift starts at six today, meaning he has around an hour to get ready and then get there, so he tries to excuse himself. Piper doesn't take long to declare that she's going with him. I can feel her gaze on me, probably waiting for me to ask her to stay, but I don't do it. I'm not the only one who has to make a move here. Instead, I just follow them to the park's entrance in silence until Leo pulls me aside.

"I'm serious, man, you should really talk to her" he advises.

"If only _she _would talk to me" I counter.

"I still think you should try. I mean, you broke up with her because you realized one day that you… have other interests" he raises an eyebrow, and I can hear a note of amusement in his voice in spite of his concern for Piper. "Of course she's pissed."

I open my mouth to argue, but close without saying anything. Leo is right to some level, but the matter is actually a little bit more complicated than that. I dated Piper McLean, yes, for a really short time, and I broke it off as soon as I confirmed that yes, I _am _gay. I mean, I strongly suspected it before, but when I was with Piper it felt so… _wrong_, in a way, that it left no doubts. Not that Piper meant nothing to me. She was a great friend, and I didn't want _that_ to end. I had explained all that when we broke up, over two months ago.

"Okay" I give in, if only a little reluctant. "I'll talk to her. Just not today. Tomorrow, at school."

"Great" Leo smiles, patting my back once, and we resume our walk.

"At least I dated _someone_" I mutter under my breath so that only he can hear it.

He punches my arm before placing a hand over his heart in mock hurt. "You wound me."

After we part ways, I walk to my car – well, my mother's, but I'm mostly the only one who uses it – to be met with a pile of books sitting in the passenger seat, remembering I put them there before leaving my house so that I wouldn't forget to drop them off at the library later.

I hurriedly call my mother to let her know where I'm going and drive out of the parking lot, oblivious to the fact that this simple decision could bring a lot of changes to my life.

* * *

**So, what did you think? I tried not to make it too long or too short, and this is what I got. I'd really like to hear whatever opinions you have, so please, review ^^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Nico**

One hour. One hour and I've learnt a surprising amount of nothing. It's too frustrating, and the lack of progress doesn't take long to make studying be horribly boring. By now my mind is looking for any distractions or excuses to take a break to hold on to, but being in a quiet organized library limits my options to none. I'm trying to keep myself from gazing out the window and coming up with those deeply philosophical conclusions one tends to get to when bored for the sake of my studies, and surprisingly enough I'm succeeding, but then this guy stops a few feet away to write something on a sheet of paper resting on the counter, his back to me, and the focus is gone. I can't help but stare.

The first thing I notice is that he's tall – though after meeting Frank, "tall" is debatable –, probably four or five inches taller than me, with an athletic build, his orange t–shirt clinging a little too much to his chest and upper arms, and his blonde hair looks golden under the late afternoon sunlight. It's almost unfair, really.

I'm not even trying to hide the fact that I'm obviously checking him out – I mean, I may be in love, but I still notice other guys, especially the –, so when he finishes scribbling whatever it was and turns around our gazes lock for a moment, though I only look away when, seeming surprised, he walks over. I feel heat creeping up to my cheeks in embarrassment from having stared.

"Um... Can I help with something?" he asks hesitantly. _Sky blue eyes_, is the next thing I realize.

I'm about to say it's nothing and dismiss this, but Blue Eyes – I'm not just about to ask his name now, am I? – has turned his attention to the books and notes over my table.

"It's two hundred and fifteen joule," he points out. I just blink. "Here," he adds, gesturing to the latest problem I was trying to solve. _Oh, he's talking about Physics. _"You put force before energy. It's the other way around."

"Excuse me?" I ask. If I were him I would've felt creeped out by being stared at, but he just walked over and casually corrected my studies. Okay.

"Sorry," he says, a bit taken aback. "It's just that – I really like that subject, and it just looked like you could use the help. I'm – I'm Jason, by the way." At least I didn't have to ask.

"Nico," I answer, maybe a little too quickly. "Well... I _do _need help," I slowly manage to mutter, because as a matter of fact I really do. It's clear that Jason wasn't expecting that – but then again, neither was I –, though he pulls a chair and sits down anyway.

"Okay, so..." he starts, skimming over the papers lying around. "What are you studying exactly?"

"Um... Force and work and how one affects the other," I answer. At least _that _I knew. "I kind of have an important test tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I nod, and he looks like he might comment on it, but just shakes his head and continues. "Just give me a moment," Jason grabs one of the books and begins looking for something, leaving me to my own thoughts.

He is sitting close, perhaps too close, because our hands brush once he reaches for the pencil, and I can smell whatever cologne he's using from here. Maybe I should stop noticing such things. _Think about Percy_, I tell myself. But Jason _is _really handsome. His skin's got a soft tan, as if he'd spent the whole day on the beach, and his hair curls a bit at his temples. His angular face is nothing to scoff at either...

I tear my eyes away when Jason stops writing and hands me the paper.

He lets me read it over once before starting to explain what the subject is about, and I really try and pay attention. Maybe it's because I'm not at school right now or because there isn't a boring sixty-year-old teacher around, but somehow I'm finding it easier to learn here. Jason not only knows how to teach this, he seems to like what he's doing. I obviously still have a hard time every now and then, and whenever I don't understand something, he rephrases and explains again so I do, using examples to make things easier. It leaves me wondering how old he is, because he looks older than me –though younger than Percy – and there's a lot of patience required to teach me anything, really. But it's surprising how after a few minutes it's not awkward between us. _I'm _usually awkward when meeting new people, never knowing what to say or ask. Although I do lose some of my determination after Jason uses baseball as an example. It reminds me of my sister.

"… and there you have the force you'd need – Is everything okay?" he interrupts himself, looking at me now.

"Yeah" I quickly answer. "I've just always wanted to learn how to play baseball," it isn't a lie, not really, but it's a lame excuse. Jason seems convinced, though, for he smiles and asks me to solve some exercises. They are fairly easy to do, but I guess thanks are needed. I wouldn't have been able to get half of these done two hours before, and now I seem to have learned enough to survive until finals. All that in… I've been studying for how long again?

As Jason takes the paper back after I'm done, I check the time. Six thirty. I take a moment to register that, but once I do I almost jump out of my chair. "Oh God," I mutter. I should be home right now. I get up and hurriedly start gathering my papers and putting on my jacket before turning to a confused Jason, finally noticing the dying light outside. "Listen, thank you. Like, really. You helped me a lot" I start. "But I really have to go right now, so…" there, awkwardness. Probably because now I _have _to say something.

He stands up as well. "Oh, it's nothing. As I said, I really like the subject. Um… Good luck tomorrow. On your test. Maybe we'll meet again sometime."

"Yeah… thanks. I'll– I'll see you around," I say again before turning around and almost running past empty tables and a startled receptionist out of the library, finding my way to the bus stop as quickly as I can, struggling not to trip or shove anyone.

I can't believe my luck when I get there just in time to enter the bus I needed and it's almost empty. I don't even find a seat; just stand there, tapping my foot and being careful not to let anything I'm carrying fall. I feel bad for leaving Jason there like that, but I _seriously _need to get home as soon as possible. _Maybe it would be faster if I ran on foot, _I wonder right as we stop at a red light. Time seems to have slowed down, and I feel numb when I think about what I'll find when I enter my house. I try to call my mother, but she doesn't pick up the phone, and my hands start to tremble.

It feels like I've spent hours on that bus when we finally stop in the corner of my street, and I almost fall on my way to the sidewalk. If the circumstances were different it would have been funny. Trying to get my keys out of my pocket, I half run to my house, glancing sideways at Percy's. _He's probably still out with Annabeth. _I mentally slap myself after that thought. I don't have time to think about that now.

Finally in front of my door, I shove the key into the lock, stumbling inside. I don't make it very far, because after two steps I'm pulled into a sort of hug. And then the guilt takes over me completely. I should have been home for half an hour now, but I was too busy studying with a guy I barely just met. It felt selfish for some reason.

I hug my mom back, rubbing her back and trying to calm her down. She's trembling so much I think she might break, and her sobs sound so broken that I want to cry as well.

"I'm sorry, mom. I'm so sorry. I'm here now and not going anywhere. I'm okay. You're okay" I whisper hurriedly, and the sobbing stops, though I still feel her tears on my neck.

"I was so worried" she mutters.

"I know" I answer. "I know. It won't happen again, I promise. I was just studying with a friend," I softly close the door with my foot before leading my mother to the couch.

She pulls away and holds my free hand. "But if… If it does happen again you'll call right?"

"I will" I assure her, not mentioning that I did try to call. I didn't want her to feel guiltier than she already did. We are in silence for a moment as I let her collect her thoughts, trying to ease the guilt that's nagging at my mind. When she finally says something, it has nothing to do with the previous subject.

"I think I'm going to prepare dinner. How does that sound?" my mother smiles at me, and I feel better not seeing any more fear in her eyes. It was always like that.

"It sounds great. I'll be in my bedroom, rereading this" I raise the papers in my hand, and she nods, promising to call me when the food is ready and letting me head upstairs. We were both trying.

My mom never got angry with me. At least for the past few years she hasn't. She always does what I want, whether I ask it or not, and the only thing she asks in return is for me to be home on time. I'm okay with that, she isn't the only one scared. But in a few rare occasions I end up letting time slip past me, and… this happens. My mother gets too close to having a breakdown, and it scares me. Then she cries, I promise that it won't happen again and then she's all smiles. Sometimes it's unsettling. But I love my mom. She's gentle and loving, at least with me and Percy. She works hard to sustain both me and herself alone – I never met my father –, and she's an understanding person. I just wish she were as happy as she makes herself to be.

* * *

**Jason**

Nico. The boy's name is Nico. I don't know what motivated me to help him study, because really, I'm not that type of person. I'm curious, not nosy. _Well, he _did _say he needed help. _Everything went okay, in general, though I wish I had gotten to know him - I hadn't seen anyone in a while. I'm hopeful that there will be a chance for that sometime, but he left in such a hurry that it leaves me wondering if I scared him away. Likely. I had never even seen Nico before today, and I certainly was surprised when I found him looking at me like that. I mean, I know I'm not hideous or anything, but it doesn't usually happen with guys.

And I hope I read him correctly. Otherwise I just made a fool of myself. It had taken a lot of confidence to just go and do what I did, and now I wasn't sure if I should have done it. But it was nice studying like that, so I guess it's fine. There's just something about Nico that made me want to talk to him. I don't know what. There just is. It wasn't really his looks – though there wasn't anything bad about those –, just the way he seemed to be. I just felt like getting close to him. It was strange, really, though not completely bad. Who knows? Maybe he'll call.

* * *

**Nico**

During dinner, my mom asks how my day was, but there isn't much to say, so we eat in silence. It's not an awkward sort of silence. It's the good sort of silence. She seems a lot calmer now, and it makes me happy. I'm also more confident about tomorrow's test, so the day wasn't a waste, not really.

After we finish our meal, I wash the dishes so that my mother can rest a little and go back to my bedroom, planning on going over my notes one last time. I don't know when Jason did it, because when I read these for the first time there wasn't anything unusual in it, and I didn't see him writing again. But he did it anyway - not that it was entirely a bad thing.

At the end of the last page, in a corner, there's a phone number. And a note asking me to call him.

* * *

**Finally. I must've written this over three times. It's always too cheesy :P But I hope it's good now, so let me know what you think :) ~pretty please?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Jason**

My mom often works late. Sometimes I even fall asleep before she gets home and wake up after she's left, and we end up going a few days without seeing much of each other. But she calls and texts every now and then to check that everything's okay, so even though I _do _miss her presence sometimes, this situation isn't quite that bad. When my father left home thirteen years ago – I barely remember him. I was four and my sister eleven –, my mother had to drop her career as an up and coming actress in favor of more stable jobs to sustain us, which took up most of her time. Once there was only me, I had to learn how to care for myself, like cooking my own food and maintaining the house. At some point I wanted to start working as well, but my mom deemed it better if I studied to get rid of tuition fees. I'm very proud of myself at that, admitted.

Things were pretty tough in the beginning. When I was old enough to be conscious of that, I asked my mom if things were going to get better soon. She didn't quite answer that. Only said that she believed in puzzles. That if you worked hard enough all the pieces would fall into place eventually. And I trusted her.

* * *

Today is one of Mom's rare days off, so as soon as I get home from school she takes me out for lunch at an Italian restaurant in the neighborhood, apologizing, as always, for her absence. This is a lot worse on her that on me, so I just reassure her that it's fine.

While we wait for our food to arrive, she asks me how my week was. I answer the same thing I've answering for the past few months. Leo seems to finally have found a job that suits him, I'm still doing well at school, and Piper still isn't talking to me.

"Well, are _you _talking to her?" I should have been expecting that.

"No," I admit. "But it isn't as if I'm not trying."

Mom sighs and looks at me in silence for a moment. Most of the time I'm sure she can read my mind, and she knows just as well as I do that Piper isn't quite giving me fair chances to apologize.

"You know, son, she probably doesn't believe your reasons for breaking up," sometimes it is strange - though not bad -, talking to my mother, because it doesn't feel like I'm doing so.

"It's not like I can prove that I was telling the truth," I insist, only half wanting to continue this conversation. If I'm honest enough, I must admit that I'm not that eager to keep going after her forever.

We fall silent as our food arrives, and I take the chance to change the subject. Like probably all mothers around the world, mine has the ability to win every single argument or discussion against me.

"Oh, and there's one more thing about my week," I start, quickly catching my mom's attention. I briefly tell her about Nico, taking bites of some fancy pasta in between sentences. She pokes my arm with her elbow, teasing my fowardness.

"You're just like your father," Mom says, laughing. When she talks about him like that, it's as if he's gone on some extended vacation. It's kind of sad, that after all these years she still hopes that he'll come back - my sister's never mentioned. But I guess that's what keeps people going. Hope. I manage a laugh as well.

Thankfully, Piper seems to have been forgotten for the moment, and Mom doesn't ask anything about Nico - I mean, I'm not yet totally comfortable talking about guys with my mother of all people, especially because I'm a seventeen-year-old boy, but maybe someday -, so we finish our meals vaguely discussing loose subjects. I love my mother, but it feels like we're ever so distant. It couldbe because sometimes she tries to be the fatherly figure I basically didn't have, when she just needs to be there.

The thing is, both me and my mother went through two common losses, one very close to the other, but I was too young to be as affected as her at the time. Barely even remember some things. Though it's more than clear to me that she still loves my father, way more than she ever should. Maybe always will. But the way she speaks, like we're just going to get home one day and he'll be there, patiently waiting with souvenirs in hand, angers me. It wasn't hard for him to walk away and move on. Why does it need to be this hard for her?

I won't lie, I really don't like my father. Okay, one of the very few things I remember from before he left is looking up to him, following him around and trying on his giant clothes. But I don't think you need to love a man who decides to leave his house, a wife and two children without any sort of explanation. We were all fine and happy before he left, so I never saw a real reason for him to go. But he did, So yeah, I may be a little bit resentful. Not that it's obvious.

* * *

As usual, we spend the day at the mall, going into most stores and never buying anything. I want to go and see a movie, but there aren't any good ones at the theater, so I settle with popcorn that tastes even better now that I don't have a screen to pay attention to in front of me. The only downside is having to wait while my mother oggles expensive shoes she'll likely never buy, but she patiently waits when I want to check something out and it owns me an ice cream cone, so it's almost fair.

This afternoon is almost perfect, really, all the way up until the point when my mom's phone starts ringing. I already know it's from her work before she picks up, and suddenly my popcorn isn't so good anymore. She doesn't apologize to me. I don't want her to, it's not her fault, but this change of plans doesn't make me all that happy. Although the sun's setting and we would go home soon, having to do something is never the same thing as wanting to do it, but I don't protest when we go to the car. No reason to, wouldn't change anything.

The ride home feels quite short, and I register that Mom is just as glad as me about having our little trip ended, but we both know there's no helping it, so she just promises to make it up to me whenever she can, and even though I know that I probably won't see her tomorrow or the day after I don't contradict. It's easier that way. I just hop out of the passenger seat and make my way to the entrance of the house, plopping down on the sofa, lazily turning the TV on with the remote. It doesn't take me five minutes to doze off.

* * *

**Nico**

I did pretty well in the test. Really well, actually, and of course it isn't thanks to myself that I'm making it to finals. But I can't thank Jason, I tell myself, even though his phone number is staring at me from beneath the mess in my desk. For all I know - which isn't more than his first name -, it could be a fake number, and nobody likes to be fooled. Maybe I'd call if I had any way to be sure.

I'm downright bored right now, and consider going over to Hazel's before remembering that she's out with Frank. Once again outmatched by a date, how nice. Besides Percy, Hazel and Frank are basically my only friends, which is usually perfect by me, but on moments like this I feel like I need _more_.

For some reason, I want to tell Percy about what happened yesterday, but I can't help but feel that somehow it isn't very right. Which I know is unnecessary, but I never talked about this kind of thing with anyone - never felt very comfortable with it, really. I half want to call him. Jason is that type of person that makes you want to be their friend. The type that always just seems so nice that it's annoying. But half wanting is wanting regardless, so I don't throw the number away. I know that if I do I'll probably regret it, and what's the worst that can happen?

Tomorrow, I say to myself, just to thank him.

* * *

**I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner, I wanted to. But when I write it's always too cheesy or too dull, so yeah. And this chapter is kind of a filler ****and the ending's lame****, because I wanted some insight on Jason or something...**

**Hope you're not disappointed ^.^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Nico**

The little paper strip with Jason's number rests in the bottom of my pocket while Percy and I buy tickets to this movie both of us have been dying to see but hadn't had time. Well, Percy hadn't had time, but whatever. I may or may not have delayed calling for a few days - three days, actually, which is reasonable -, but that's just because I really don't know what I'm going to say. Truth is, I'm very very awkward on the phone. I would text, but it would feel half-hearted, and I know I'd be disappointed if it was the other way around.

"That'll be twenty dollars," the lady behind the counter draws my attention, and I quickly pay her before joining Percy at the popcorn stand.

"Aren't we a bit early?" I ask, because there's still fifteen minutes before the session starts.

"We are?" Percy seems surprised by that, as if the thought hadn't even crossed his mind. He's been a little disoriented for the last few days, really, and no one can blame him. He's been sleeping less less with the approaching of college applications, and I've never seen him as stressed as of lately.

"Yeah, a little," I answer, handing Percy his ticket so he can check.

"Oh. Um... At least we get good seats," he states, as if being early for a movie were a huge deal, but I just shrug and proceed to the movies' entrance. Surprisingly, we're second in line, a kid and his parents in front of us. I start eating my popcorn before it gets cold or mushy, trying to save some for the movie, and when the usher finally lets us into the room, half of mine is gone and Percy's already done with his. At least we still have our sodas and a bag of skittles.

The movie ends up being every bit as good as I hoped it would be, though the nearly three hours inside that room seem endless, and it's really a bit of a relief to stretch my legs again. On the way to the exit, I quickly check my pockets - it's kind of a habit. My wallet and cellphone are in place, but I feel like I'm forgetting something. Since I can't stay behind after the session's over to look, I try to ignore the feeling. If it was something important I wouldn't forget it. Probably.

We make our way back to the parking lot and Percy's car (his stepfather's actually, but he refuses to admit that), with Percy talking about _all _the details he didn't like in the movie. He takes a moment looking for his keys before opening the driver's door and tossing them to me. When I turn to him after getting in, he has a piece of paper on his hand. A piece of paper I recognize as mine, because I can read Jason's phone number from my seat.

"Hey, I think you gave me this by accident," Percy hands it to me, an annoying silent laugh in his voice. Not mocking, just... amused. I take it from him a little too fast.

"It's... This is nothing - nothing of important," and this time the laugh isn't so silent. In fact, it's louder than necessary, and earns a glare from me.

"Right, right. But if you ever want to tell me about your new boyfriend, I'm all ears," I just push the paper back into my pocket and don't answer

* * *

After Percy drops me off at home, I finally take my phone to call Jason. It rings so many times that I almost hang up.

_"Hello?"_ his voice sounds slightly sleepy, and for a moment I'm afraid I woke him up, before noting that it's almost 4p.m.

"Um... Hey. It's Nico. From the library?" I'm not really sure if it's an affirmation rather than a question.

_"Oh, yes, I remember."_

"I wanted to thank you. For helping me study and all," I state, at this point just hoping that the conversation won't go awkward.

_"No big deal."_

"I'm serious. It was almost worth having to take the bus," wow, Nico, how smooth.

_"Almost?"_ I hear him chuckle. _"Um, listen, do you... maybe want to go out sometime? Have an ice cream or something?"_

I was half expecting that. Almost half. But it still takes a moment to get my voice to work again. "Oh. Sure, why not?"

_"Great,"_ a slight pause. _"When's a good day for you?"_

"Any weekend's fine," or at least I hope so, with the amount of school work I'm having lately.

_"So... This sunday's okay?"_ then, as if in afterthought, Jason adds. _"Three o'clock, in front of Lucan's."_

Lucan's is a small coffee shop a few blocks from my house. Jason must live in the neighborhood. "Sure," I've never been asked out on a date before, and it's surprising that I'm still talking without stuttering.

_"So, I'll see you then. I'll text if anything happens, okay?"_

"Okay. I'll see you," and the click of a phone being hung up comes not long after.

* * *

**Jason**

I didn't expect Nico to _actually _call - maybe text, he seems like the type for texting. But it's likely that I'm misreading - a couple hours of studying don't usually give much away -, because what I _did _get is that Nico's a reserved person. Part of the reason why I wanted to ask him out, too. People like that tend to be the most interesting. I also didn't expect him to accept, but I'm glad he did, because due to my lack of creativity, the best place I could think of in days was the coffee shop in front of Leo's apartment, where I used to spend most of my afternoons a few years back. It's a very discreet building, so I'm surprised he even knows it - and thinking back on it, I should have bothered with location. At least asked if it was too far for him. But I carried it out pretty well.

As it's thursday, I still have a few days to figure out what _exactly _I'm going to do on sunday, because even though I have been in dates before - if you can call them that -, they were all with a long-time friend who has dated one too many guys and knows too well what she's doing. Opposite of me. And that's when the idea comes to me. Asking Piper for advice, which means one of us will have to apologize. And it doesn't look like she'll do it any time soon.

* * *

**So, I was going to put more scenes in this chapter, but I already took so long to write just this (I'm sorry :/), so it'll be for the next one. **

**I've been having a serious lack of inspiration lately - hence the super short chapter -, so sorry again, I'll try harder next time, promise.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Jason**

I've always been a pretty confident person - don't get me wrong, I don't consider myself cocky, just not oblivious - be it in any occasion. But walking up to Piper first thing in the morning at school to seek advice doesn't have my spirits that high up. And I don't even know why. I guess it's just a stab to my stupid pride - which, I admit, is likely my worst flaw. I don't think there's a way for me to ask that without making a complete fool of myself, especially after what happened, but if I come up with something alone, I'll end up making a fool of myself on sunday, and I rather it be the former.

"Um.. Hey, Pipes," I start, tapping her arm so she'll turn around.

"Oh. Hi, Jason," the cheerfulness in her voice is so obviously fake, and we've known each other long enough for me to know that she can do way better than that. I've never missed old Piper so much, and it hurts that she's not there for me anymore.

"Piper, please drop it. Look, I know I screwed up. I know I used you, and I know it was wrong. And I'm sorry," if my words have any effect in her, she doesn't show it. "I just don't want us to see each other as strangers," at that she raises an eyebrow.

"Jason, we are done. You said it yourself. I understand why you did what you did. But you _knew_ you meant more than that to me," _meant_. "And you made me think it was a two-way street," she raises her voice to a point where I'm glad it's early enough for the hallway to be almost empty.

"I know," Piper doesn't retreat when I take a step forward, so I must be going down the right path - right? "And there are no excuses for that. Just _please_. I miss my best friend. You _do _mean more to me than that. It was just a mistake," and there's the wrong turn I shouldn't have made.

"_Just_ a mistake?!" Piper hisses, lowering her voice "You expect me to just shrug it off? Like _you _did? Please," she takes a second to shake her head as if in disbelief before stalking away, back straight, shoulders set, and not a single glance in my direction.

Okay. So maybe that didn't go quite as planned.

If I didn't know any better I would've gone after her, because honestly, I have several reasons to make amends with Piper. I can't just let five years of knowing, supporting each other be thrown away because of a stupid _break up_. But, for the moment, pushing the subject won't get me anywhere, so I just stand there until the flow of people draws me back to reality and the ringing of the first bell takes me to class, leaving my reasoning with her for when the tide clears.

* * *

Leo and I have most classes together, but being that we're both seniors and Piper's a junior, we don't have any with her, which is kind of a relief, seeing as whenever we're whithin ten feet of each other I feel sort of tense. But of course - that's only me. I've always been one to think a little too much about everything. Maybe a tad bit paranoid. Nothing to worry about, I believe.

"Hey," Leo calls, snapping his fingers next to my ear. "Earth to Jason. You there, man?"

"Uh? Oh, yeah. What it is?" that earns a look from Leo.

"You're weird today. What happened?" he says while motioning to the rest of the class, silently telling me we're supposed to pair up.

"Um..." for the first time in a long time, I hesitate in telling Leo something - anything "I talked to Piper today. You know, to try and apologize. But it kind of backfired," I explain, copying down the notes from the blackboard.

"Care to elaborate?" he insists after a moment.

"You know how Piper is when she's mad," I sigh. "A single word out of context and she flips."

Surprisingly, Leo laughs, immediately stifling it with his mouth.

"What's so funny?" I inquire, letting a little impatience slip into my voice. Unfair, I know.

"She said the same thing about you a while ago."

Right. So I might or might not have been the one to actually cause this... issue between us. It's just that Piper has this thing about her - one twitch of her lips and she gets what she wants. Which would be fine if she hadn't tried to use that on me. I mean, I get it that she liked me, that she didn't want to break things off. But I did, and Piper knew that. When she tried to guilt trip me into staying with her, I snapped. It was selfish, asking me to give it a little more time, as if my feelings were supposed to match hers just 'cause. But as I said, I'm always overanalyzing everything, so it's possible that I've been a little unfair and selfish too. Especially since I have so little experience with dating in general. Nonetheless, apologies are in order.

"Yeah," I mumble in agreement, not really wanting to get into the subject and earning myself a nudge in the arm.

"Come on, that's not why you're so out of it. Spill it," Leo demands. Sometimes I wonder if he's that interested in other people's lives to forget about his own problems.

"This is really not the best time for that," I reply, fetching my History book from my backpack. "Just wait until lunch."

Leo just rolls his eyes and doesn't say anything, but that's answer enough.

* * *

"You've got a _date_?" Leo asks for the second time, putting his fork down.

"Will you stop? People are staring," I note, lowering my voice and hoping Leo will do the same. "And I don't get why it's so hard for you to believe that."

"Sorry," he replies, downing the rest of his soda. "It's just... weird, you know? Not bad weird, different, I guess. That you might be showing up next week with a boyfriend - sorry, you can scratch that. That's not really what I meant," he finishes when I don't answer. But I do know what he means, and part of me knew this was coming. It's not like I expected things not to change, even though Leo and I are like brothers, because it honestly _was_ kind of... unexpected. For others, at least. For me it was a thought sitting in the back of my mind since my friends and classmates first started dating. I just finally took it seriously.

"No, it's fine," I assure him, not looking up from my plate.

"So, um..." Leo tries again after a moment. "Who's this guy?" I wish he didn't look like he was trying so hard to be a good friend.

"Who? Nico? A guy I met at the library, that's all."

"Do you even know how old he is? Or at least his last name?"

"Relax, Leo. He's not some eighth grade kid," I answer, though I actually don't know his age.

"Just want to make sure you know what you're doing," he shrugs in response, getting up to clear his tray.

I follow after, carrying mine with one hand and searching my pocket with the other.

* * *

**Nico**

My attention is taken away from Hazel and Frank's daily lunch discussion by the light buzzing coming from my phone, and I quickly check it for a new text message. I recognize the number as Jason's.

**Nico? Hey, listen, I didn't catch your age. Sorry :/**

Probably because I never told him, though I've been wanting to ask him the same thing.

**Hi. I'm 16. You?**

I reply and close my phone, not quite expecting the almost imediate answer.

**18. Looking forward to sunday :)**

Eighteen. Not... quite what I expected, but not too far from it either. I take a moment before typing back;

**Yeah, me too.**

I consider copying his smiley face at the end, but give up on it. I've never understood why people feel the need to use them, anyway.

When it seems as though Jason's done talking and Frank and Hazel seem contempt in leaving me to my own devices, I finish off the rest of my pudding and take my tray away, heading to the chemistry lab to turn in an early assignment - actually, it's more of a project to get my grades back to... acceptable. Ever since... the _incident, _I haven't cared much about anything - especially school, but now that's starting to weight on my side. So much that even the school nurse has talked to me about it. I guess what was keeping me down was the fact that my mother simply doesn't seem to care. Not one bit. It's as if, for her, if I _look _happy, everything's fine. And that sucks, because I just want her to notice, to see that sometimes I'm just not okay. That I'm not always the happy kid she hopes I am.

But I can't let her know that. I can't let her know that everything she's done for me since Bianca has done me little good. It's often just a reminder, but her concern is so _real _that I can't bear to take her effort for granted because I know she suffered - suffers - a whole lot more than me, and I feel so selfish for not letting myself touch the happiness that's right in front of me when other people clearly wish they could reach that high.

Watching people around me with seemingly no worries, with an extremely wanted ability to _move on_, and all my friends trusting that four years later I'm finally okay with all of it, when in reality the closed door in front of my bedroom still brings back the pain feels so... wrong. Like I'm breaking someone's trust when I don't even trust myself anymore. The only slight break I get from that feeling is when I'm with Percy. Because he understands. He was there when it happened. He was there when I was recovering. And he's there now. Mostly. It's true that we've been drifting apart and back, though I seem to be the only one who's noticing. Percy can be a little... slow. Or maybe it's just me, afraid that he's finding out that being friends with other people must be far easier. Maybe people his age, not some high schooled brat run by angst.

And maybe, just maybe, he's getting tired of having me around, for almost two decades is a really long time putting up with someone - and that, I can only hope is not true. I've been walking on crutches, and Percy is one of the two. If he leaves, I'll most likely fall.

* * *

**There. Finally :D This actually different from what originally planned, because I lost the original file and had to write again, but I'm quite happy with it. Hope you guys like it too.**


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